Welcome to Hank’s Place –
I love the way Paul begins his epistle to the Galatians. It’s verses 3 and 4, for he speaks of the gospel of this grace of God. God, who gave Himself — for our sins, to deliver us from something right now — this present evil age. And all this is by the will of God. Amen and amen!
Then he makes note of those who are turning from the Gospel of this grace of God – to a different gospel. They are turning from a PERSON, for the Gospel is centered upon Jesus — to something much less — a mere idea.
In verses 6 and 7 Paul describes this ‘other’ gospel as different. It is illegitimate (‘which is not another’ which is what he says. It’s not ‘good’ at all, but in fact ‘trouble.’ It’s a distortion of the true Gospel – he calls it a ‘perverted gospel.’ Anyone preaching a different Gospel — should be accursed! Paul is serious about this!
Really, it’s not ‘another’ gospel because it’s not a gospel at all. It’s just BAD news, not ‘Good News.’ It’s altogether different from the true Gospel that reveals God’s grace through His Son. A different gospel will always place an emphasis upon our works in some way.
Many Christians are not sure of just what IS this Good News. Paul tells us in the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 15. The true Gospel is the message that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the Cross – for us, and it is proven by His resurrection from the dead.
This true Gospel, this Good News, is totally offensive to the natural man in several ways:
First, it offends our pride, for it declares we need a savior; we cannot save ourselves.
Second, it offends our wisdom, for it appears foolishness to carnal man. I mean, God, becoming a man and dying a disgraceful death for us?
Third, it offends our knowledge, for it goes against all scientific knowledge as well as personal experience: that a dead man arose from the dead in a glorious, new, eternal body?
My friend, there is a world out there in terrible shape. However offensive the Good News is to the natural man, they nevertheless need to hear it. We can plant seeds. We can water seeds planted by others. We may even have the joy of helping someone to be born again.
Mask or no mask, this world needs a savior, they need — to COME ALIVE!
Get out there!
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